The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (#40, Classic)

I picked this one for book club. I wanted to pick a scary book for our October rendezvous, but, I wanted a classic scary novel, a true psychological thriller. I dedicated many a precious minute to trying to find the perfect book. I'm the book snob, so I can't pick just anything.

The reviews from both critics and readers had nothing but positive (and scary!) things to say about The Haunting of Hill House.

"First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror."

"The Haunting of Hill House remains one of the most important horror novels of all time and certainly one of the most singular haunted house tales ever written."

I wasn't scared. Not on the metro. Not at the gym. Not while I was home alone reading late at night. Not at all.

Do I just lack imagination?

We'll see what the book club critics think, maybe our discussion will give me more clarity on how I feel about the book.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (#37, Classic)

It is a book like this that makes me crave for those days back in Portland at Starbucks when Steph and I would sit for hours talking about books. I caught a glimpse of it last weekend. We had few moments to discuss books but somehow we snuck in a conversation here or there within a jam-packed schedule. There are few people I can sit and talk about books with endlessly-- I am fairly certain no one else will ever compare. :)

But, man, this book. I really loved it. There is something so incredible about making a character who you love, hate, despise, understand, and cannot believe her selfishness and charity, all within a single action. And, wow, the Civil War sucked. I felt awful reading about Sherman burning through the south, because in my northern teachings, all the terribleness he inflicted was a sign of victory.

I can't believe I: a) had never read this b) did not know anything about the story (well, other than that scene from Miss Firecracker with Holly Hunter) and c) have never seen the movie. I am SO glad I have not seen the movie-- no doubt it will be a major disappointment, but one I am anxious to experience.

I finished the book at 3AM last night and wanted more.

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo (#27, Classic)

A couple quote worthy lines from the book:

"Nothing is bigger than life. There is nothing noble in death."

"America fought a war for liberty in 1776. Lots of guys died. And in the end does America have more liberty than Canada or Australia who didn't fight at all?"

In this anti-war novel, published in 1939 and set during WWI, Joe leaves Los Angeles to go to war and ends up in a hospital bed as an invalid. But not any invalid, Joe has had both his arms and legs amputated, he cannot hear, cannot speak, and cannot see. Yet, his mind is alive and he spends his time trying to figure out day from night, memories from dreams, and some way to communicate with the world.

When his tap tap tapping of Morse code for "help" is finally understood by the hospital, all he gets in return is a "what do you want?" The years he spent trying to let them know that he may be nothing but a stump on the outside, but that he was alive on the inside and ready to show himself to the world to show what can happen during war was all shot down with their final response, "That is against regulations."

Just a bit depressing.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (#17, Classic)

I believe that I have evolved as a reader by plowing through this one. Remember Virginia Woolfe and my distaste for that little literary technique she is so well-known for--STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS? Well, guess what Faulkner is so special for? Yeah. You guessed it--confusing the hell out of the reader.

The book is broken down into four chapters, all narrated in a different voice, and all taking place on different days. That seems simple enough, but throw in steam of consciousness, no punctuation, moving forward and backward in time with no heads up, and that makes for one confused bnizzle.

After reading the first chapter I had a fuzzy idea of the plot. I was aware that it was being narrated by the special needs brother, and I knew his narration jumped around in time, and I got that he had a special connection with his sister Caddy, but beyond that a lot escaped me. I was lost and confused and not all that interested in continuing.

So, I went online and found the wikipedia and sparknotes websites about the book. Is that cheating? Did it ruin it for me? At first I thought maybe yes to both, but honestly, I think it was the only move I could make to salvage the book for me. I went back into the book, with three-quarters left to go, and I knew who was narrating, what they were thinking, and what was going to happen, and it made the book way more enjoyable, and a more manageable puzzle.

I don't know that I will pick up another Faulkner book soon, but I have definitely not written him off.

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (#14, Classic)

Apparently everyone and their dog read this book between the ages of 8 and 13. Not me. I waited until I was good and ready at 28.

It's short, it's easy, and it's about the civil war. The book is very descriptive--but I found it really hard to envision the scenes he was describing. There is very little dialogue or story line other than the thoughts of a youth in the midst of his first battle. I did find the theme of abandoning very interesting, and something that has always been missing in all the war books and movies I have read and seen.

I think that this may be one of those books that can be adapted very well to screen, so I am definitely planning on seeing the movie.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles (#13, Classic)

You know what Thomas Hardy likes? Murder. I had a sneaking suspicion that Alec was going to bite the dust at some point, but the ending was... um... different than Far From the Madding Crowd.

Poor Tess, so good and pure, is ruined thanks to one night. And, the events of the night are defined depending on how the reader interprets the situation--was it rape or was she seduced? Either way, her life according to Victorian standards is completely tainted.

The story has the Romeo and Juliet type theme--two young people intensely in love, but you know their happiness is going to be short lived. Deep down Tess knows that Angel will not forgive her for her past, yet she is unable to keep it to herself. Should she have told him? What would you do?

Overall I didn't love the book. It was much more dark, depressing, and desperate than my other experience with Thomas Hardy. I have a really hard time with novels from this time period where the characters have happiness within reach, but because of societal pressures it slips away, and what would have been bliss and prosperity turns into death and hardship.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (#5, Classic)

I swear I have read this book before. Yet, as I read, nothing felt familiar. Did I just think I read it, or did I read it so long ago that I have completely forgotten it? I take issue with either option. If I never read it, shame on me! And if I read it so long ago that I don't remember it, shame on whoever made me read it because clearly I was not ready for it!

With this pocket sized book I was able to carry it with me all about town, which inevitably caused many people to either rant or rave (mostly rave) about the book to me. I think at least three people told me it was their "favorite book of all time". I got one "I hated that book"! All this made me think, if I saw someone reading it, what would I say?

I think I fall somewhere in the middle. I can vaguely relate to Holden. Growing up in New Hampshire, I had siblings, as well as many friends who attended boarding school. If you thought high school was bad, boarding school is a whole other breed of awful! But, I didn't hate high school, it wasn't the best years of my life, but I was happy, so that leaves me at a huge impasse with Holden. I have known people like Holden, those people DRIVE ME CRAZY. Wah, wah, wah. Holden's issues with people are the ironic (still trying to figure out how to use this word) part about the book. He goes on and on about all the phonies in the world, and all the liars, yet he is the phoniest and biggest liar of them all!

So, when asked about The Catcher in the Rye what would I say? It's worth reading but most definitely not my favorite book of all time. I really need to go back to the folks who told me that because I would really like to know what they loved SO MUCH about it.

The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington (#1!!!!, Classic)

Annnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddd.... back to #1 again. Hello 2009! What little treats do you have in store for me? One could only imagine when it comes to me. Six new places to live? Another new job? Fame and fortune? Maybe the start of a new master's degree? We will see, we will see.

You can find this book on the Harvard list of the 100 greatest novels of all time. I had never heard of it, and honestly, I'm quite surprised. The book has all those classical themes that would go perfectly in a high school or college English class: the rise and fall of an American family, industrialization, hubris, dark suspense and a not entirely happy or unhappy ending

I swung back and forth from loving the book to hating it. But, it wasn't actually me loving or hating the book it was more me loving or hating the characters. OH the incense I felt for Georgie Amberson Minafer, and then he goes and totally surprises you!

I recommend it.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (#31, Classic)

Finally, a book that is not of the self-help/young adult category. I have been reading too many of those lately and thought it would be good to read something of substance. Enter Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo.  I really enjoyed this classic masterpiece, despite knowing the story before reading the book. I saw the movie back in 2003--I remember the day exactly because it was spring break freshman year and my new boyfriend called while we were watching the movie. I took the call and never finished the movie. Needless to say, I was very eager to find out how it would all end. Would the Count get his revenge? Would he find his lost love and find happiness? Would he confront his enemies and repay them for ruining his life? 

I did notice one thing while reading my first Dumas novel. He uses the phrase, "blow out his brains" quite a bit. Anytime one of the characters ponders suicide, the only way it is referred to is as "blowing out" one's brains. Perhaps there was a problem with the translator and in French this phrase sounds better. 

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, (#24 Classic)

1488.

The Year? Nope. An important street address? Wrong again. The number of people killed at Waterloo? Keep guessing. If you guessed: THE NUMBER OF SMALL PRINT PAGES I read to finish this one--then you are correct! This is one long mofo of a book. Of course I read the unabridged version, because, really, if you're going to do it, you might as well ACTUALLY just do it!

Although it may sound as though I am complaining so far, I'm actually not. I loved the book. It is amazing, and really, the only thing to complain about is how tired my hands got holding it! It's heavy and cumbersome with that many pages--especially at the beginning and end!

I really can't even begin to put into words how great of a story Victor Hugo tells, and the amazing characters he created. Jean Valjean is just a big twisty mess of complexity, yet so pure and lovable--I rooted for him from the start. And Gavroche may be one of my favorite characters EVER. So funny, cute, energetic, loving and smart--yet he is only what, 12 or something? But you believe it. I have a feeling that the characters from this book are going to stay with me--they are anything but forgettable.

My one question or concern about the book is how strong of a statement is was back then to say, "I am a criminal, I was in prison." It seemed like once that was thrown out there, no matter all the good one had done, or the possibility of false accusation, you are suddenly less than human. Was that the way society in France really was back then? If you stole a loaf of bread to feed your starving family you could never be considered whole again? It all seems a little too steep of a price to pay to me.

It is just really a great book and it all ties together, all the characters have meaning, all the interactions have a point--it's pretty amazing to see that Hugo was able to tie something from page one to page 1488 with such clarity and skill. Loved it loved it loved it!!!

Now I need to go get my tickets to see the play!!!

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (#19, Classic)

For years I've been told that Thomas Hardy is as good, and maybe even better, than Jane Austen. In my mind that is a very bold statement, especially since the recommendation came from a loyal Austen fan.

I am sad to report back that my expectations were too high. I spent the first one hundred pages comparing the scenes, characters and dialogue to Austen, and it wasn't the same! Big surprise, right, it is a different author. I complained a bit; thought the characters and time period were "too provincial" feeling. And then, I started to let the story stand on its own, or maybe it began to stand on its on, because Hardy is a great author, and it is a great story!

The book is a bit darker than Austen's novels, but still has a lot of comic relief. The setting is what really differentiates the two authors--Austen's scenes are set to the back drop of stately manors, balls and sitting rooms while Hardy is more pastoral, plain and impoverished.

On one hand I really liked the protagonist, Bathsheba, and I really related to her--can we say fiercely independent? :) But it took me a loooong time to stop thinking Gabriel Oak was a love-sick puppy. I suppose his constancy with his feelings, and Bathsheba's flighty whims, can be compared to some people I know . . .

Emma by Jane Austen (#10, British Lit)

On a mission to read all of Austen's novels, Emma brings me to three. Austen finished six complete novels and I feel that it is imperative that I read them all. There is something about being an English major that requires some sort of competency with the classics. Plus, Austen intrigues me. These novels are her life's work and reading them sheds some light onto the woman who defied society, lived by her pen and never married.

My choice of movies lately (Becoming Jane and The Jane Austen Book Club) brought me to the library--on crutches no less--to pick my yearly Austen installment. It was between Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Emma intrigued me because it was the only novel that Austen named after her female heroine and I was curious as to why. I have my own theory of course, but I would need to read the other three to fully present my point. 

The one thing that came out of this reading was the absence of first names. Emma always refers to Mr. Knightly as just that--Mr. Knightly. I think his first name is mentioned once in the beginning and once at the end. And while I know that back then, wives called their husbands Mr. So and So, it struck me as very similar to Sex and the City. What does that say about women? What is it about nicknames? Not that Mr. Knightly is a nickname, but it does keep things from getting too personal. She never calls him George. Are the nicknames we girls use now to refer to the guys in our lives a way of giving us distance from them? Does it keep us from getting too close? One thing I know for sure, though, is that nicknames make it that much more fun. Why date someone named Will when you can really be dating Moped Fred? 

The Tempest by William Shakespeare (#11, British Lit/Play)

What else can I say but I just don't get the full effect of Shakespeare reading him on my own. By nature I read quickly, I can't help it, and that certainly isn't the way to read his plays. I can't even imagine how many themes, intricacies, and plotsI missed. Maybe all of them? I hope not.

I still love Shakespeare though. He is fun to read, and it was nice to have no tragic deaths at the end, rather a happy love match and a family reunion. Must stick with romance and comedy--no tragedies.

Candide by Voltaire (#9, French Lit)

I am not exactly sure where to start with Candide. I found it amusing, disturbing, thought provoking, and witty. I am startled that I have heard pretty much nothing about either Candide or Voltaire in my lifetime. How have I gone through so many years of education, and even more reading on my own, and never had anyone mention Voltaire?

My goal in 2008 is not quantity, but rather quality--I want to get more out of the book than just finishing it, so I have been doing some research before, during, and after finishing each book. The synopsis on Wikpedia for Candide is almost as long as the book itself! Such a little book has caused quite the scandal over the years. I am always interested in reading books that have been on the Church "do not read" list.

I struggled with the theme behind Candide--the philosophy of optimism. Candide is a young man on a journey, and bad, horrible, terrible, utterly catastrophic things continue to happen to him and everyone he meets. But, when he was younger he was taught by a wise teacher, Pangloss, that everything about the world is perfect, and everything that happens is meant to happen, so he is continually trying to rationalize the evils he encounters. I am optimistic, I believe everything happens for a reason--so I had to figure out what it was about Pangloss' philosophy that is flawed. So basically Candide and I were on the same philosophical journey together from beginning to end. But lucky for me, I didn't encounter earthquakes, storms at sea, whippings, hangings, civil wars, syphilis and many, many more unimaginable events. So unimaginable you have to laugh--really, picture this: four soldiers want to rape you because you are so beautiful, and in the end you don't actually get raped, rather you have been cleanly ripped into four pieces. That's funny, right???

Read this one, it's a gem.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (# 4, Classic)

1069 pages. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is probably the longest book I have read in years. It was a pleasant struggle to get through. Slow to get into but once you get into it, it is actually quite hard to put down. The build-up and anticipation of what is going to happen between all our heroes is masterfully executed. I gasped so many times while reading and I wanted to call all the people who had already read it so I could talk about all the mini-revelations and connections between characters. I almost want to describe it as a philosophical soap opera--there is drama, it is high stakes, and therefor highly entertaining.

I read Rand's other philosopical work of fiction The Fountainhead in high school so I was not unfamiliar with her writing. I knew what I was getting myself into when I picked this one up and I am glad I did--this book is a must-read for any intelligent person. Rand gives an answer to the question of what would the world be like if there were no great, inventive minds to support society? What if the world's greatest thinkers decided not to use their great minds? What would happen to society if we were left in the hands of looters and moochers--people who are not willing to do things themselves, people unable to answer questions and solve problems?

After reading this book, I have changed the way I think about the word need. Should you give something to someone because they need it? How do you judge whose need is greater than someone elses? I don't think I will ever expect anything from anyone anymore based on a perceived notion of how much I need it. I never want to get something because I need it--I want to work hard for it and know that it is mine because I earned it. I also enjoyed the discussions of love and the questions that provoked. Atlas Shrugged is at heart a love story as well--between the ideals of one man and one woman only this does not become apparent to the reader until much later. The progression of Dagny Taggert's life, how she learns about love, is the most compelling part of this story.

While I loved almost everything about this book--the in depth character development of a multitude of characters, the dramatic exposition, the storyline twists, the well-planned mystery, the philosophical tenets that provided the backdrop for this classic story--I was disappointed by the ending. Seriously, I doubt it would have happened like that. The real climax for me had more to do with the love story than with the actual ending. Read this book!

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (#8 American Lit)

Mr. Hawthorne sure had to have a dark side to come up with both The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. Pretty much the whole book is dark, dreary, and depressing. Poor Clifford was falsely imprisoned 35 years ago and Hepzibah scares all the townsfolk because she has poor vision, which causes her to always have a squinty frown on her face. But, then young and vibrant Phoebe is introduced as a ray of sunshine in an otherwise cursed home. What a random assortment of characters that are all not what they seem. Hawthorne loves to incorporate many characters where "what you see" is NOT "what you get." Judge Pyncheon is always smiling and happy looking, so when he first comes into the shop you believe he is well-meaning, but turns out he is actually evil. The way Hawthorne describes and forms his characters is reminiscent of Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead. It takes a much more in depth look into each character's true self to understand their desires and motivations .

The book was rather odd. I think I may have to include the "Governor Pyncheon" chapter up in the top ten weirdest chapters ever. Judge Pyncheon is dead in a chair and the narrator continues to speak to the reader sort of asking-- why isn't the Judge getting up? doesn't he have places to go? what about the important dinner he is missing? Quite bizarre.

Apparently when a book is labeled a "romance" that just means there can be ghosts, curses, and portraits of creepy old men who have emotions (sort of like Harry Potter!). For a book that started off so dark and was sort of slow, Hawthorne sure did tie it up into a very nice little ending. Everyone who deserved success and wealth found it and those who were evil and spiteful got what they deserved--eternal damnation. :) Karma is a bitch.

Persuasion by Jane Austen (#7, British Lit)

She never fails me. I have been proclaiming for many years that Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel, and upon rereading it I still adore it.

I love the writing, I love the characters, I love the humor, and yes, I also love the happily ever afters. Anne and Captain Wentworth may not have all their teeth, but their story is a true happily ever after. They were meant to marry 8 years ago, but because of the persuasions of others in Anne's life she refused him. His pride and her sensibilities kept them apart, yet neither ever truly got over the other. (notice the use of all the other titles? :) In the end he allows her back into his heart, even after she broke it so many years ago.

Happily ever after, does it really happen? I may have some cynical tendencies, but deep down I think I am a sucker for it.

Camille by Alexandre Dumas fils, (#3, French Lit)

When I checked Camille out I was under the impression that it was by Alexandre Dumas, as in the author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, but turns out it was actually by his son, hence the "fils" after his name (I don't know French!). Good to know.

Very Moulin Rouge-esque. I enjoyed it, but the main character, Armand--a man in love with a "kept" woman, drove me crazy when he continued to get jealous of her pimps. As Nicole Kidman says, "a girl has got to eat."

I have to find myself an old Duke. :)

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (#49, Classic)

I think I may have figured out at least a little bit of why I like Classic novels, specifically novels written in the 19th century, so much. The language. The more formal, big word, non-slang, more correct language they use. When I started reading Around the World in Eighty Days, I was under the impression that it was a more juvenile book, something you would read in early high school and maybe even before, but as I continued, I realized every page was filled with good words. Tenacity, capricious, motley, taciturn, insurmountable, commiserate, blundering, fervent, colloquy, impassable--and this is just taking a quick turn through the pages that I found all these.

The book was enjoyable. Jules Verne created some great characters, funny scenarios, as well as great adventures throughout the novel. I can picture them riding an elephant through India and a snow sailboat across Nebraska. His main character, Phileas Fogg, is pretty hard to figure out. He lacks all emotion, yet he embarks upon this amazing journey on a whim. If I recall correctly, they made the book into a movie fairly recently, that is definitely something I want to see now. I am curious how they would adapt all the adventures how they would cast the characters for a movie.

As evidenced by this being book #49, you can see that I am on to my last book. And it is nonfiction. I actually started one last night that I planned to be my final book--The Cliff Walk. It is a book about a man who is a college professor who gets his pink slip in the early 90s and then cannot find a job. He ends up moving back to Maine, his home state, and doing manual labor. I thought it would be relevant for me because of the position I have been in for the last year or so--unable to find work that is on par with my education level. I got about 30 pages in and either it was too reminiscent to my feelings or just scared me too much that maybe, I too, would have to dirty my hands to make a living. No thanks. I put that down and moved on.

Animal Farm by George Orwell (#46, Classic)

I end the Classic category with George Orwell's Animal Farm, a book I managed to escape reading through both my high school and college years. Sometimes that baffles me--that certain essential books fall through the cracks of one's literary education. I believe that there is a canon of books that everyone who wants to be considered smart and well-educated should read. Animal Farm is definitely on that list.

I read 1984 a couple years ago at the insistence of my then-boyfriend and found it very chilling, especially when shortly thereafter we went to go see the remake of the Manchurian Candidate and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. Moore takes an excerpt right from the pages of 1984 that certainly ring true to what is going on in our country right now. I liked 1984 but if I were to compare it with Animal Farm, I would say that I enjoyed the latter more. It too, pertains to what is going on in the world right now. One key phrase that seemed to be repeated throughout was "If the commander said it, it must be true." I had an English professor at USM who often said that if you say something enough times, people will start to think it is true. Politicians obviously use this tactic in their campaigns and once they are in power to retain power. The animals under the pig Napoleon trusted their leader and therefore everything he said must be true, even though if they really examined what he was saying, they would realize that most of what he said was not true. Hopefully people will still read this book as an example for what not to let happen in the future.